Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to communications networks and more particularly to providing for propagation of user preferences to multiple end devices of potentially diverse types.
Today it is very common, and probably the norm, for an individual to have and regularly use a number of communications devices of different types that communicate via a variety of different media. For example, an individual may, on a daily basis, use a number of different telephones such as a work line, a home line, one or more cell phones, etc. Additionally, this same individual may have and use a number of other communications devices and/or media such as one or more email accounts, one or more instant message accounts, etc. that are accessible through any of a number of different devices such as personal computers various portable devices, and/or other network attached devices that communicate via the Internet or other network.
While the availability of these devices helps people stay in touch and communicate, it can present problems. For one, each device has its own settings and/or user defined preferences. However, an individual using a number of communication devices may have some user preference settings that he wants to set on all of his devices. For example, a user may wish to temporarily set a “theater” mode or “do not disturb” mode on more than one device such as his cell phone, pager, etc. In another example, the user may want to have the same settings, greetings, etc. applied to all of his voice mailboxes.
Currently, there is no way for a user of multiple end devices of different types to share or set user preferences that are common to all or some subset of all of these devices. Rather, the user is left with the tedious and time consuming task of setting these preferences individually in each device. Hence, there is a need for methods and systems that allow for propagation of user preference information across multiple devices of potentially diverse types.